EC proposes changes in the MFF proposal

On 28 March 2020, the European Commission (EC) published a statement from the EC President, Ms Ursula von der Leyen, which underlines the EC’s aim to propose changes in the next EU budget proposal, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027. As stated also by Ms von der Leyen, at the Press Conference following the European Council’s videoconference on 26 March 2020, the flexible use of the budget can help to many challenges in different sectors and deal with complex crisis, such as the COVID-19 outbreak. This calls for an ambitious “stimulus package” that will support the EU economy to recover on one hand and ensure that cohesion within the EU is maintained through solidarity and responsibility on the other hand.

Last month the EU leaders did not come up with an agreement on the next seven-years’ EU budget. The Council Special Summit planned early March was postponed and the European Council’s meeting on 26 March 2020 focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. In parallel, on 17 March 2020, the European Parliament’s MFF co-rapporteurs Jan Olbrycht (EPP, Poland) and Margarida Marques (S&D, Portugal) issued a draft legislative initiative report for the EC to submit a proposal on the MFF by 15 June 2020.